Secrets For Urban-Survivalists: The only place in Amsterdam to have a nap without being fined is the public toilet.
Today I will tell you a secret:
There isn't any other place where you can crash and sleep for a bit than the public toilet.
The cost is 70 cents and my idea is that nobody can say from the outside if you were sleeping or had a black-out. So if it would be legal, you could do it!
Even a 5 minute sleep can take away the negative effects of not sleeping enough.
Do you know any other place? Le us know in the comments below.
In-branch bank ATM indoor kiosks. Provided you have an ATM card, the outer door will unlock for you and you can go into the antechamber where the ATMs are. The branch itself is closed, but the antechamber is usually heated enough to make a real difference when the night is cold.
Don't ask me how I know this, ;)
I don't know why but it doesn't exist here (or I didn't see it). Most machines here are not in these rooms. In Germany they are everywhere. The problem in Amsterdam is that it is not allowed to sleep in public, in the car, in the train station. I had my fair share with these rooms too hehe.
For example one time in St. Anton, a super expensive ski area in Austria. The security woke me up and said: "you do not really want to sleep here, do you?"
Ahm, yes motherfucker! :D
Okay. Works in Canada, though.
The library? As long as you look presentable you could lean on the table and pretend to be reading a newspaper... Also the parks in summer....?
Parks in the summer, yes. I meant wintertime sorry. I never tried the library but it doesn't look good once you start sleeping and someone will wake you up for sure. It is good to have a locked door between the person that wakes you up and you to have time to realize where you are and not to look immediately into the eyes of the waker.
Cool post once again. Goodluck with your journey.
Do all the public toilets charge a fee there now? also, if you had access to a small tent, would there be anywhere you could discretely pitch it without getting moved on and not too far from the center of amsterdam? best of luck mate.
Edit: To answer your question: I think you have to pay everywhere yes. Also a lot in bars (customers free, others 50 cents)
I am an expert in that! I had once a tent and a sleeping bag. The 2 second self-pitching Quechua!
I was sleeping in all major parks, even far away at RAI.
If I would have one again. With good isolation mattress and a nice sleeping bag. Heaven..
But it all gets dirty fast and it has it's pros to pay the hostel (at least 5 times a week). It's warm, there are people and a shower.
When i sleep in the tent I also have costs. Body wipes, public transport. But the problem with pitching tent is fear. Once someone visited me at night. Scary. It grinds your primal needs' nerves. Security while sleeping. Not good for the nervous system.
Oh okay. Yeah I can imagine kipping in a tent near to the city does play on the primal fear, people not leaving you alone and keeping clean would be harder. I hope you find something.
Me too. Thanks! I will come up with something big hopefully.
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Interesting insight sir. It is good to see you animated in a video as well.